Roll-up awning



N. L. ETTEN ROLL-UPIWNING Aug. 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1956 212222111? Maw/451. [7/7 N. L. ETTE'N ROLL-UP AWNING Aug 11, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 5- Filed Nov. 30, 1956 F M M M ROLL-UP AWNING Nicholas L. Etten, Cedar Falls, Iowa, assignor to Chamberlain Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application November 30, 1956, Serial No. 625,369 '1 Claim. (Cl. 160-62) This invention relates to improvements in a roll-up awning, and more particularly to an awning made up of a plurality of initially separate slats held together by flexible straps, for mounting over an opening in a building, the awning being highly desirable for use in connection with windows, over doorways, and may be readily and easily secured adjacent substantially any type of opening in a building wall, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

In the past, many and various types of roll-up awnings have been developed, including those wherein the canopy of the awning Was made up of a plurality of initially separate sheet metal or plastic slats connected by suitable means extending transversely of the slats, and with a roll at one end of the canopy so that the entire canopy might be extended to extend downwardly and outwardly over an opening in a building wall and thus shield the opening from the sunlight, or be rolled up into a position adjacent the top of the opening when not in use. In every instance of which I am aware, however, awnings of this character developed in the past embodied slats that were not symmetrical in cross-section, but included 8. rolled, underturned, or otherwise distorted marginal portion at one or both side edges of each slat, thus rendering manufacture of the slats as well as the assembly thereof objectionably expensive. Further, awnings of this character heretofore known did not roll up as neatly and compactly as desirable. For example, if the slats were interlocked one with the other, there was obviously a bulge at every interlock which was tremendously aggravated as the canopy built up upon the roll. Where strips or straps extending the full length of the canopy where utilized to connect the slats, such elements were frequently fixedly joined to each slat in a plurality of places, or otherwise connected to the slats so as to permit no relative movement between a slat and the strip or strap so that when the canopy was rolled it was bulky and non-uniform, as well as extremely cumbersome and unsightly, if the canopy could be rolled at all. It might also be mentioned that heretofore awnings of this character were also objectionably difficult to mount in position on a building wall, in most cases requiring the efforts of a skilled operator for that purpose, were in many cases difficult to manipulate properly, and were not desirably light in weight, economical, and durable.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a simple form of roll-up awning that is highly pleasing in appearance, and readily mountable in position by substantially anyone, no skilled labor being essential for that purpose.

Another object of the instant invention is the provision of a roll-up awning of which the canopy is made up of a plurality of laterally disposed slats held in position by connecting means so associated with the slats as to permit relative movement between each slat and the connecting means whereby a tight roll of the canopy and 2 a roll that is ultimately pleasing in appearance is assured.

It is also a feature of this invention to provide a roll-up awning in which the canopy comprises a plurality of laterally extending slats connected by means of spaced straps of flexible material extending transversely to the slats, the connection between the slats and straps being such as to permit relative movement between each slat and each strap during the rolling operation.

Also a feature of the invention resides in the provision of a roll-up awning in which the canopy is made up of a plurality of slats each of which is of uniform curvate cross-section throughout its entire width.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision of a roll-up awning having a canopy comprising a plurality of laterally extending slats each of which is concavo-convex in cross-section and made of flexible material whereby the slats may be transversely compressed during rolling so as to ensure a tight compact roll when the awning is not in use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a roll-up awning in which the canopy comprises a plurality of laterally disposed slats connected by flexible straps extending transversely to the slats, each strap being connected fixedly at one point to each slat and at another point in such a manner as to permit relative movement between the slat and strap during the roll-up operation.

Also an object of the instant invention is the provision of a new and novel slat for use in a roll-up awning.

While some of the more salient features, character istics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a roll-up awning embodying principles of the instant invention mounted in operative position over an opening in a building wall;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar in character to Figure 1, but showing the awning in rolled-up or nonuseful position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the underside of the awning canopy;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the roll around which the awning canopy is wound;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the frame of the building opening, illustrating the mounting member for the awning in end elevation;

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the roll structure taken substantially as indicated by the line VIVI of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the awning canopy taken substantially as indicated by the line VIIVII of Figure 3;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the awning roll illustrating the attachment of the canopy straps thereto;

Figure 9 is a transverse Vertical sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line IX-IX of Figure 8, illustrating the strap attaching means in side elevation; and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary elevational view of an awning slat embodying principles of the instant invention.

As shown on the drawings:

With reference now to Figures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the illustrated embodiment of the instant invention is shown for illustrative purposes and by way of example as mounted on a window frame 1 in a building wall 2. The awning structure includes a mounting member 3 secured to the top member of the Window frame, a pair of allochiral side arms 44 each of which is preferably in the form of a channel and pivoted to the respective side member of the window frame in any suitable manner such as by suitable pivo't brackets 5. Carried between the side arms 44 is a spring biased roller generally indicated by numeral 6, and the awning canopy, generally indicated by numeral 7, is connected at one end to the roller 6 and at the other end to the mounting member 3.

The roller is preferably spring biased and preloaded to some extent so that it will tend to automatically roll up the awning from the useful positio'nseen' in Figure l to the position of non-use seen in Figure 2, wherein the entire canopy is disposed in a tight compact roll above the window opening. It is therefore necessary to hold the awning down in useful position, and this may be accomplished by a suitable cord or other tension member 8 secured in any suitable manner to the awning canopy, and which may be anchored to a cleat 9 to hold theawning in operative position, as seen in Figure 1.

With reference now to Figures 1, 2, 3 and '7 it will be noted that the awning canopy 7 is preferably made up of a plurality of laterally disposed slats 10 connected by a plurality of spaced flexible straps 11 extending transversely to the slats.

As seen best in Figures 7 and 10, each slat is preferably concavo-convex in cross-section and the convex side is preferably disposed outwardly. Each slat is also preferably of uniform symmetrical cross-section, in that it has the concavo-convex shape throughout its entire width, and the marginal portions are left clean without any added formation or distortion. The slats may be made of any suitable sheet material, metal or plastic, aluminum being highly satisfactory. Accordingly, the slats are flexible and during the rolling operation may be compressed to lessen the transverse curvature therein.

In order to accommodate the straps 11, each slat during its formation is provided with a rivet hole 12 and a slot 13. In the illustrated instance, the rivet hole 12 is disposed nearer the lower side edge of the slat, while the slot 13 is disposed opposite the rivet hole but nearer the upper side edge of the slat. There will be as, many sets of rivet holes and slots as there are straps 11 utilized with the awning canopy. The number of straps utilized depends upon the width of the awning canopy or the length of the slats. With ordinary windows, three straps are usually sufiicient, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Each strap extends across the under side or concave side of a slat for the major width of the slat. and the strap is connected to the slat fixedly by a rivet 14 at the rivet hole 12, and passes freely through the opposed slot 13 in the same slat. Thus, each strap has a fixed connection with each slat and also a connection permitting relative movement between the slat and strap.

When so connected, each upper slat will have its lower marginal portion overlapping the upper margin of the next lower slat as indicated at 15 in Figure 7 to provide a watershed effect. Preferably, no other means of connection for the slats is provided except the straps 11. These straps may be made of any suitable flexible material, stainless steel being highly satisfactory.

In mounting the awning, the upper ends of the straps 11 are connected to the mounting member 3 extending across the top of the building opening. As seen in FigureS, this mounting member 3, which may be an aluminium extrusion, embodies an upright flange 16 for abutment with the building wall 2, and screws 17 or the equivalent maintain the member in position. The mounting member also includes an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 18 which functions as a watershed for the upper portion of the top slat. The member also includes an underneath flange 19 which extends downwardly and rearwardly, having its free end spaced from the building wall. Each strap 11 is provided at its upper end with a hook-like member 20 which may readily be engaged over the flange 19 of the mounting member just prior to tightening the mounting member in position by the screws 17.

The other ends of the straps 11 are connected with the aforesaid roll 6. As seen best in Figures 4 and 6, this roller comprises a cylinder 21 which may be riveted as at 22 or equivalently secured to flanged end caps 2323. Each end cap is provided with a hub 24, and extending freely through the hubs is a hollow shaft 25. Of course, the entire cylinder 21 including the end caps may be rotated relatively to the shaft 25 which is fixed when engaged with the side arms 4-4. Encircling the shaft 25 inside the cylinder 21 is a coil spring 26, having one end looped through an opening 27 in the shaft, and the other end anchored around a rivet 28 in one of the end caps 23. In order to preload the spring biased roller, it is a simple expedient to relatively rotate the cylinder 21 and shaft 25 to a desired'extent, and then insert a temporary cotter pin 29 through suitable apertures in the shaft and one of the hubs 24. I

Now with reference to Figures 8 and 9, it will be seen that for each strap there is a stirrup 30 secured to the cylinder 21 of the roller. This may be accomplished by inserting the legs of each stirrup through a suitable opening in the roller, and bending the split ends of the legs in opposite directions as indicated at 31. Each strap 11 is provided with an end loop 32 engaged around the bar of the respective stirrup 30.

Now with reference again to Figure 4, it .will be seen that each of the side arms 4 is provided in the channel thereof with a looped strap 33 bolted or equivalently secured to the channel arm as indicated at 34. The loop of this strap encircles the end of the hollow shaft 25 when the structure is assembled, and at one end of the structure a set screw 35 is engaged through the loop and shaft to fix the shaft against rotation. After the engagement of the set screw 35, the aforesaid temporary cotter pin 29 is removed, leaving the spring roller preloaded so that it normally tends to wind up the awning canopy and assume the position seen in Figure 2 above the window opening. A satisfactory preloading of the spring roller, by way of example, is two revolutions, and therefore when the awning is pulled down into useful position as seen in' Figure l, the roller will be loaded to the equivalent of approximately seven revolutions of the spring.

When the awning is rolled, the slats may be transversely compressed by virtue of their inherent flexibility, and there will be relative movement between each strap and each slat where the strap extends freely through the slot 13 of the slat, whereby a tight compact roll is ensured that is not only easily obtained but quite pleasing in appear'ance. It will also be apparent that the entire awning may be easily mounted in position over a window opening by even a most unskilled operator.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of roll-up awning, the canopy of which embodies a plurality of extremely economical slats, easily assembled to the straps 11, and which may be rolled up or unrolled easily and expeditiously without binding or distortion. The entire awning is pleasing in appearance, very economical, and extremely long lived.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concept of the present invention.

I claim:

In a roll-up awning, an attaching member for securement to a building wall over an opening therein, a plu rality of laterally extending slats, each slat being smoothly concavo-convex over its entire width and flexible from a normal curvature to a small curvature, a plurality of laterally spaced flexible straps supporting said slats and connected at one end to said attaching member, a roll attached to the other ends of said straps, means attachable to the building and carrying said roll and swingable to move the roll between a collapsed upper position adjacent to said attaching member and a downward and outward extended position relative to said attaching member, said slats being disposed in the extended position of the roll with a lower margin of each succeeding slat overlapping the upper margin of its contiguous lower companion slat, said slats being riveted to each strap close to the lower marginal edge of the slat, each slat having close to the upper marginal edge thereof a spaced series of slots matching said straps and through which the straps freely extend, said slots being normally overlapped by the overlapping lower margins of the next adjacent upper slats, and the straps being thus in holding relation to each of the upper and lower margins of the slats and by being freely movable through said slots compressing the slats to lessen their curvature in rolling them upon and about said roll when the roll is swung from said extended position to said collapsed position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,893,659 Stack Jan. 10, 1933 1,917,811 Richardson July 11, 1933 2,590,204 Phillips Mar. 25, 1952 2,678,687 Armstrong May 18, 1954 

